Gen Bajwa wanted Pakistan to progress under Imran Khan's lead: PM

Terming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan a “hypocrite”, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday said it was now out for everyone to see how General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa had been helping the former premier achieve his political tragets.

"In a bid to steer the country out of the crisis, Pakistan’s armed forces and Gen Bajwa provided all possible support to Imran Khan but he failed," said PM Shehbaz while addressing the launching ceremony of the Hazara Electric Supply Company (HAZECO) in Islamabad.

“Gen Bajwa wanted Pakistan to move forward under the lead of Imran Khan but the latter failed as prime minister,” the incumbent premier said. “Imran Khan is levelling allegations against those who brought him to power.”

“What language is Khan using against Gen Bajwa? He has no match in abusing,” he said, adding that the PTI leader had destroyed Pakistani society.

Khan ruined relations with friendly countries

Taking a dig at the former prime minister, who was ousted from power through a vote of no-confidence last year, PM Shehbaz said that he ruined Islamabad’s relations with friendly countries who always supported Pakistan.

Khan accused Chinese companies of corruption, which angered Beijing, he added. “I cannot disclose the details here because my position doesn't allow it.”

Traders urged to save 'national resources'

Addressing the ceremony, PM Shehbaz urged the business community to support the government’s recently announced energy conservation plan marking the early closure of markets and restaurants, to ensure judicious use of national resources and reduce the import bill.

“I appeal to the business community to extend their support to the government [for energy conservation]. This will reduce the oil import and bring down the dollar rate which would later be spent on the country’s progress including agriculture and medicine,” he added.

The premier said any difficulty faced by a nation necessitated collective action and expressed the hope that the traders from across the country would take part in this “jihad” to save the national resources.

‘Govt to abide by its commitments with IMF’

Referring to his telephonic interaction with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday, the prime minister assured that, unlike its predecessor, the incumbent government would abide by its commitments with the international lender without further burdening the masses.

However, he also sensitised the IMF head over the country’s economic condition adversely affected by the worst floods and made it clear his government had already taxed the rich but could no more burden the poor.

The premier also said that an IMF delegation is expected to visit Pakistan in 2-3 days to “take up and finalise” the ninth review of the economy to unstick a direly needed bailout tranche of $1.1 billion.

He also apprised the gathering of his 45-minute-long telephonic conversation with the Chinese premier on Thursday in which the latter assured him not to leave Pakistan alone, which the prime minister said evidenced the improvement of bilateral relations strained by the poor foreign policy of the previous government.

The prime minister assured that the coalition government would do its maximum for the relief of the masses including the provision of jobs.

He expressed the resolve that under PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, the incumbent government would lead Pakistan to become a great nation.

— Additional input from APP